What Does It Look Like?
by prehistoric-huntress
Summary: Eren and Armin finally made it to the outside world, but a tragedy follows their footsteps and makes this dream a little less magical, but only a little.


**What Does It Look Like?**

***five years earlier***

The rain had finally stopped falling. The sun was peeking through the dark clouds now, bringing light to the inside of their walls. Armin Arlert was the first person to have stepped out of his house. He stared into the grey sky and watched the clouds part. He walked, trying to relish the beauty returning to the sky and wishing, hoping, that beauty would return to their world; that their existence wasn't contained within walls that blocked the sun's goodbye every night.

He kept his eyes on the sky which almost made him trip when he stepped into a puddle. He looked down into the muddy pool of water. He saw himself, his blue eyes that seemed to hold part of the sky within them, and tried to picture it like the pictures he'd found.

He knelt next to it and watched it ripple. It turned blue, but it wasn't blue. It only mirrored the sky. The image distorted if you touched it. It was a fake. It was like the walls. He wasn't sure how long he sat there watching the reflection of the clouds, trying to imagine this little puddle as something as astounding as a thing called an ocean, like the pictures. Eren eventually found him.

"Armin, are you okay?" Eren called as he squatted beside him. Armin looked into Eren's green eyes and Eren's heart fell to pieces when he saw tears streaking Armin's cheeks.

"Do you think we'll ever get to see the outside world?" Armin whispered.

"I know we will, Armin. One day we can leave these walls. One day. I promise." So, he sat next to his blond haired friend and watched the reflection of the clouds passing by.

***five years later; present***

"I guess it was always going to end this way, huh?"

"Shut up, Armin!" Eren snapped as he picked Armin up. Blood trickled down his temples, but it didn't steam. It was his own blood.

"Why didn't you duck when I told you to, idiot?" Eren said, the scene of the flying rocks heading towards Armin. If he had only killed that Titan sooner. If he hadn't hesitated it wouldn't have gone straight for Armin.

"I have brains, Eren, not combat skills," Armin gasped.

"You idiot!" Eren spat again. He sounded mean and hateful, but it was only a façade for the fear that had taken hold of Eren's heart. Sweat trickled down his face, but his blood was cold. He could feel Armin growing weaker in his arms.

"Just leave me, Eren. I'll only slow you down," Armin breathed, his hands hanging limply.

"Never, Armin. I promised you we would see the outside world one day and it's a promise I intend to keep. You're going to stay alive whether you like it or not," he said, stealing a glance at his blood soaked face. Eren finally made it to their base and the more experienced soldiers of the corps took care of the titan that had been following them.

"HELP!" Eren screamed, the fear spilling into his voice. "SOMEONE HELP ME!"

A medic took Armin from his arms and into a tent while his assistant barded Eren from entering.

"LET ME IN!" Eren screamed.

"Just let the doctor work, Eren." Eren's façade fell apart and he fell to his knees and waited. A while later the doctor let him in.

"A-Armin?" Eren whispered.

"I'm here," he rasped. White bandages and gauze were wrapped around both his eyes. The doctor stepped beside Eren and whispered something into his ear.

"He'll be blind for the rest of his life," he'd said. Eren sat next to Armin, tears threatening to spill as he watched Armin's pitiful figure in bed.

"I'm so sorry," he cried.

"It's okay. I didn't want to fight anyways. Now I have a doctor's note," Armin said, trying to sound light-hearted, trying to sound like his entire world hadn't just fallen apart. Eren cried and Armin sat up. He stretched out his hands and searched for Eren, who leaned into his hands. Armin traced Eren's face as if he was committing it to memory. He pushed his thumb between Eren's eyebrows.

"Don't worry about me," Armin said, but Eren can't see how he couldn't. Armin wiped his tears and pulled him into a hug.

"I'm going to do anything it takes to get you out of here," Eren said. "Even if it means I have to kill every single titan with my bare hands."

***several years later***

"Most of the maps were withered and torn apart, but we found it, Armin. We're finally here."

"I smell… I smell salt," Armin said. Eren jumped off the horse and then helped Armin off. He held his hand and guided him towards the water's edge. Armin kept his hands on Eren the whole time. Since he was blind, Eren and Armin had become closer than ever. It was rare to ever see them apart.

"Come on, sit here and extend your feet," Eren said after he'd pulled Armin's shoes off. Armin did so and cold water washed over his toes and made him shiver. Eren took off his jacket and rested it on Armin's shoulders as they sat there, relishing the touch of the water and the smell of the ocean. Armin finally spoke.

"What- what does it look like?" he asked. Eren already had tears falling down his cheeks. Armin had been wanting to see the ocean since he had found out about it and now that he finally has the chance, he can't see it. It hurt Eren like nothing else ever had.

"It's blue, brighter than blue skies. When the sun shines on it, it looks like there are diamonds dancing on it. And there are waves. Think of ripples, but taller than me." Armin smiled and his faded blue eyes crinkled. The sun shined straight into his eyes, but he didn't look away only because he couldn't tell. The shine brightened up his dull eyes; brought a liveliness to them that they had lost so long ago. Eren's heart played a song that was 10% pain, but 90% pure love.

He raised a hand and caressed Armin's cheek. Armin turned and raised a hand. Instinctively, Eren leaned into it. Armin drew his finger across Eren's bottom lip softly.

"Do you know what it feels like?" he asked. "Was it sand? Is that what we're sitting on?"

"Yes," Eren whispered into Armin's fingers.

"What color is it?"

"It's almost white, like the clouds from the reflection."

"Oh," Armin whispered. "Is- is there a horizon?"

"It's farther than the eye can see," he breathed. Armin brought his fingers up through Eren's bangs.

"What does it look like?" Eren couldn't help the tears that were falling onto Armin's hand.

"It's more beautiful than anything we've could have ever dreamt of." Armin smiled again.

"Do you think we can stay here a little longer?" he asked. Eren curved his hand around Armin's neck and brought his face closer to his.

"We can do whatever you want, Armin Arlert. The world is finally ours," he whispered against his lips before he kissed him through his tears.

* * *

This is not an original idea! A friend sent me a link to the person who wrote it (and who they got the idea from) and I wanted to write it too. Here is the link for it: archive-of-our-own . org works/1290019 (without the dashes and spaces, but it won't stay any other way!) The image is also not mine. I believe it belongs to Viria (who is always amazing with her art!) If it's not hers, let me know and I'll give the right person credit! I hope you guys like it :)


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